Mercedes Badia-Tavas

Practice Areas

Education, Emerging Companies and Venture Capital, Entertainment, European Services, Federal Contracting, Procurement and National Security, Global Services, Greater China and South East Asia, Higher Education, Immigration and Global Mobility Services, Immigration Compliance - Worksite Enforcement Services, Immigration Pathfinder Program, Japanese Services, Labor and Employment, Latin America, Media, Professional Sports, Sports, Supply Chain, Transportation and Logistics, Workplace Culture 2.0

Career

Mercedes Badia-Tavas navigates the complex U.S. immigration system for Fortune 500 companies in multiple sectors including healthcare and finance, along with small businesses, nonprofits and individuals. With 30-plus years of exclusive immigration law experience, she guides clients through complex employment visas requirements, permanent residency applications processes, and government compliance needs with significant implications for companies and employees.

As a Cuban immigrant, Mercedes brings personal insight and cultural sensitivity to her practice. Her tenacity and commitment allow her to decipher sophisticated immigration issues effectively. She addresses client needs with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by both employers and families. For companies, she enjoys developing comprehensive strategies for global mobility needs of personnel. to the U.S.

Mercedes facilitates entry visas and work permits for U.S. transferees to various countries. She prepares a wide range of employment-based immigration petitions, ranging from a variety of temporary visas in the “alphabet soup” of U.S. visas (B, E, F, H, L, O, P, Q, R) to PERM labor certification applications and NIW to EB-5 Investor applications. Before U.S. federal agencies, she represents clients with cases involving I-485 Adjustment of Status, consular processing abroad, and naturalization to become U.S. citizens. She helps clients navigate national interest exceptions to travel bans and oversees global immigration matters for foreign assignments.

In the arts and entrepreneurship sectors, Mercedes secures visas for Oscar-winning producers, champion athletes, world-renowned musicians and startup founders.

Personal

As a child, Mercedes’ family left Cuba for Mexico and later settled in the southern U.S. Her background, upbringing and internships in Latin America and Europe engendered a tenacity, global education, commitment and cultural sensibility that she credits to deciphering complex issues with immigration and managing client needs.

Mercedes likes to give back by offering her services to the arts and community organizations. For arts organizations funded by the MacArthur Foundation and the Joyce Foundation, Mercedes offered her experience in receiving visa approvals and entry to bring culturally unique artists to the U.S.

Education